


way down under the ground (wait for me)

by Mallowleaf



Category: Hadestown - Mitchell, Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: But He Gets Better, Greek myth AU, Hadestown AU, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, but i make it better, eventually, i broke the "no angst" rule with this fic whoops, i swear it's going to be a happy ending, like it gets really angsty, orpheus au, tw blood, tw character death, tw death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 11:25:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16853131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mallowleaf/pseuds/Mallowleaf
Summary: Roman closed his eyes and began to hum to himself, plucking out the tune of a song he had begun to work on. It was just a few chords; he had only started writing it a few days ago and hadn’t had much time to dedicate to it. Sitting like this, with the sun on his face and the wind lightly blowing around him, was nice. If he could, he would spend everyday like this - spend everyday outdoors under the sun with his love by his side. It was perfect. Everything was perfect.And then the silence was pierced by a scream.(or the royality orpheus au that no one asked for)





	way down under the ground (wait for me)

**Author's Note:**

> trigger warning for blood, major character death and various mentions of death

Lying on the ground, Roman stared up at the sky above him. Branches stretched over his head, sunlight filtering through the trees and warming his face. It was one of those autumn days in which everything felt just right. The temperature was perfect, leaves were changing colors and fluttering to the ground, and the sun was strong enough to warm up the ground. 

 

Somewhere near him Roman could hear someone moving through the leaves, crunching the leaves and giggling to themselves. Roman smiled and pushed himself into a sitting position to watch Patton dance through the leaves. He looked so happy, so peaceful in that moment, running through the leaves and cheering with joy when a leaf landed in his hair.

 

They were the only two in sight, the only two people out enjoy the day. It was peaceful, and Roman enjoyed it. There was no one around to ruin this moment, to cut through the silence and distract Roman with idle chatter and demands and worries. It was just him, Patton and the rest of nature round them, and that was all Roman needed.

 

Patton looked up and glanced at Roman, eyes meeting his. Patton smiled and abandoned his pile of leaves, instead bouncing over to Roman and all but throwing himself down next to him. “How are you doing?” He asked, leaning his weight into Roman’s side.

 

Roman smiled back at Patton and wound his arm around Patton’s shoulder, pulling him closer to him. “Better now that you‘re here.”

 

Patton giggled and rested his head on Roman’s shoulder. Roman began to run his hand up and down Patton’s arm, leaning his head against Patton’s and closing his eyes. He was just beginning to drift off, lulled to sleep by the wind and the sound of Patton’s steady breathing, when Patton let out a loud, “Oh!”

 

Startled, Roman jerked upright, jostling Patton in his panic. “What? What’s wrong?”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you, Ro!” Patton said worriedly. “I was just looking around and I saw there were still flowers down there!”

 

Roman raised an eyebrow and followed Patton’s gaze. Down in the open plain below them there were quite a few brightly colored flowers swaying gently in the wind. “You’re right,” he said, taking a few breaths in an attempt to calm his racing pulse. 

 

“Can we go down there?” Patton asked, expression bright and excited. “I want to make some flower crowns before it gets too cold.”  

 

“How could I say no to you?” Roman teased, eyes glinting with amusement. Beaming, Patton threw his arms around Roman’s neck and squeezed tightly before bouncing back up. 

 

“Lets go!”

 

Roman leaned back on his elbows and glanced up at Patton, squinting in the sunlight. Patton was gazing down hopefully at him, but then Roman remembered the looming deadline of a commision he was given a few days ago and he winced apologetically. “Actually, I think I might stay up here a little while longer and work on my song. But you go ahead! I’ll catch up with you!” 

 

“Are you sure?” Patton asked. “I could wait up here with you.”   
  
Roman shook his head. “No, don’t be silly! It’ll only take me a few minutes; I don’t want to make you wait for me. I’ll be fine.”

 

Patton considered Roman for a minute before crossing his arms over his chest. “Alright, if you’re sure. But don’t work too hard!”

 

“Of course not,” Roman said with a soft smile. 

 

Patton leaned down and planted a small kiss on Roman’s cheek. “See you down there!” He said with a dazzling smile before flouncing down the hill, humming to himself. 

 

Roman watched as Patton disappeared down the hill before leaning back against the trunk of the tree. He let out a small sigh, absentmindedly strumming his lyre with no particular melody in mind, too focused on the beauty of the day. He knew that days like this would be few and far between with the oncoming approach of winter, and he was determined to spend these last few days with Patton, deadlines be damned. 

 

He closed his eyes and began to hum to himself, picking out a tune that had been floating around his head for the last few days. It was only a few chords; he hadn’t had much time to dedicated to this song, even though the deadline was looming over the horizon. He was confident in the fact that he could successfully manage to finish the song on time - he'd done it before, and in less time - so there wasn’t really any need for panic over this project; not yet, at least. 

 

He just couldn’t help but be distracted by the environment around him. How could he focus on his work when he was surrounded by such beauty, such calm? He wished every day could be like this, quiet and peaceful and with Patton by his side. 

 

And then the silence was pierced by a scream. 

 

Roman jolted to his feet, blood turning to his ice in his veins. That had sounded like Patton _.  _ Without even a conscious thought Roman began to run to where he heard the scream, because that was Patton and he sounds like he’s in trouble,  _ he’s supposed to protect Patton and now he’s in danger.  _

 

Roman skid to a halt at the bottom of the hill, searching for Patton. He didn’t see any trace of anyone; the field is open and empty. The grass brushes against his knees, tall and whispering quietly among itself as the wind blows through it. His breath came in short gasps. He knew Patton was here, but now he isn’t and Roman had no idea where he could’ve gone. 

 

“Patton!” Roman screamed, taking a few steps forward. He had forgotten to leave his lyre behind and how he clutched it in his hands so hard he was afraid it would snap right in half. His voices echoed back to him, mocking him.

 

He paced around the field, searching for a sign of Patton. It took him a few minutes to find him, and those minutes were filled with thoughts of what could have went wrong. He could have gotten lost, or taken or something, because why wouldn’t he answer him when he called? Patton always answered him which meant something was wrong, something was wrong,  _ wrong, wrong - _

 

He finds Patton lying on the ground, half hidden by the tall strands of grass. His eyes were closed and for a moment Roman thinks he’s sleeping. But his face was twisted up like he’s in pain, and the way he’s lying on the ground looks too uncomfortable to be asleep. Roman dropped down on his knees besides Patton and let out the breath he’d been holding. 

 

“There you are,” he said as he brushed Patton’s bangs off of his face. “You really scared me.”

 

Patton didn’t respond. 

 

Roman frowned. He continued playing with Patton’s hair, hoping the repetitive motion would wake him up. “Come on, Pat, you got me.” He said softly. “You don’t need to freak me out anymore.” 

 

Patton didn’t move. 

 

Roman’s breath caught in his throat. This wasn’t like Patton at all. He was always moving; even in his sleep he rolled around and flailed his arms. Roman had never seen Patton this still, this unmoving. This was wrong.

 

Hesitantly, praying that he was wrong, Roman placed his fingers on Patton’s neck and felt around for a pulse. His hand shook as he did his best to find it, checking once and twice and over and over again, each time failing to find a pulse. His vision blurred, but it was okay, he was just doing it wrong and the next time he would find a pulse and Patton would wake up and they’d laugh about this later and -

 

Roman’s eyes caught onto Patton’s ankle. Two gashes were torn out of his leg and they slugglishy dripped blood onto the ground. Roman reached out, his hands shaking, to hover over the wound. He didn’t dare touch it, not wanting it to be real, wanting this to be a bad dream. Roman jerked his hand away a moment later, instead pulling Patton up onto his lap. 

 

“No, come on Patton.” Roman gasped, voice heavy with tears. “You’re going to be fine, it’s okay, I’ve got you now. You’re going to be  _ okay-” _

 

Roman’s voice broke off in a sob and he buried his face in Patton’s hair. Patton was a heavy weight on Roman’s lap, but he hardly noticed. Instead he clutched at Patton’s shirt and cried, wishing he could have gotten to Patton in time. 

______________________

Roman stood in the entrance of a large cave, its mouth stretching up to the heavens. In one hand he clutched his lyre, the other curled into a fist with his nails digging into his palm. He could feel himself shaking; the idea of descending into the Underworld didn’t sit well with him. 

 

But he had to. For Patton. 

 

“You won’t be able to do it.” 

 

The voice floated from behind him. Roman knew that voice. He had heard it a few times before this day, on the rare occasions he talked to his father. Roman refused to turn around and give the owner the voice the satisfaction of his gaze. 

 

“I have to try.” Roman said, staring hard at a tree that lay on its side. 

 

“Why do you care so much?” The voice asked. “You could always find someone else, another muse for your music.”

 

“I could never replace Patton.” Roman spat, glaring at the dead grass that surrounded his feet. “I’d go anywhere for him, and I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t at least try to bring him back.”

 

The voice hummed. “This isn’t going to be easy, Roman. This isn’t one of your little ‘adventures’ where you go in and come out unharmed. It’ll test you, and there’s a good chance it’ll take the best of you. Do you really want to go?”

 

Roman whirled around and glared up at source of the voice, Hermes. The messenger god raised an eyebrow, unaffected by the anger radiating from Roman. “With all my heart.” Roman said firmly, tone not leaving any room for argument. 

 

Hermes nodded, a somber sort of gesture. “With all your heart, huh?” There was a pause. A sigh. “Well, I suppose it’s a start.” 

 

The god leaned back against a tall oak tree, paying no mind to how his weight caused it to buckle and droop towards the ground. He rustled through one of his many pockets for a bit before pulling something out and tossing it at Roman. The man almost dropped the item, fumbling with it before closing his hand around it. Peeling his fingers open, Roman glanced down at the light silver coin he was holding. 

 

“An obol?” He asked, looking back up at the god. 

 

“That,” Hermes said grandly, “is your ticket to the Underworld.” 

 

Roman glanced down at the unassuming obol in his hand and then back up at the messenger god, doubt evident on his face. The idea that this small coin was all it would take for him to cross over to the Underworld seemed too easy. There had to be some sort of catch. 

 

Hermes let out a laugh at Roman’s confusion. “Don’t look so surprised. Things don’t have to be difficult to help you out. All you gotta do is give that to Charon.  He’ll take you across the River Styx, no questions asked. But after that - well, it’ll be up to you.” 

 

Roman glanced up at the god, fiddling with the obol. “Thanks, I guess.”

 

“Good luck, kid.” Hermes said with a smile that was somehow both reassuring and unnerving at the same time. “You’re going to need it.”

______________________

 

The Underworld was, predictably, hot. 

 

Roman trudged along the road that had been pointed out to him by Charon after he had exited the boat of the ferryman. Getting past Cerberus was easier than he had originally thought. After exiting the boat, all he’d done was sing the three-headed dog to sleep. Simple. After that it was just a matter of keeping to the road pointed out to him. He kept his eyes fixed ahead, looking down at the ground to avoid the stares of the shades that passed him by. No one acknowledged him as he passed, too wrapped up in their own misery to notice him passing by. 

 

The ground was rough and rocky, and several times Roman stumbled over his feet as he continued down. The smell of sulfur hung heavy in the air and from far off the sounds of screams could be heard from past the horizon.  

 

He kept his head down, not wanting to see the suffering that surrounded him on all sides. His hands shook as he imagined Patton here, all by himself amid this hell. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that it takes him a second to notice that there’s a presence standing right next to him. He glanced up, curiosity getting the best of him. After all, so far nothing has paid him any mind. When he saw what was next to him, he froze, blood running cold. 

 

Next to him was a Fury.

 

If Roman wasn’t already terrified, he was now. He’d heard the stories of the Furies terrorizing those who have wronged others, swooping down from the sky to rain vengeance down on those who had earned their wrath. And now that he was standing in the presence of one of the three Furies, he would’ve much rather have them stay in the stories. 

 

The Fury towered over him, leaving Roman shrouded in her shadow. Her wings were stretched out, ready and poised to take off at a moments notice. Her eyes glinted a dark red and her mouth was stretched open in a snarl, revealing her sharp teeth.

 

“Well, well, well.” She said. Her voice was rough and guttural, causing Roman to wince and flinch away. “A mortal in the Underworld?” Her nose twitched and her snarl grew; if Roman didn’t know better he would have called it a smile. “A demigod no less! What’s a small demigod like you doing down here?”

 

Roman lifted his chin and tried to look more confident than he felt. “I’m here to see Hades.” 

 

The Fury let out a loud cackle, startling Roman. “How adorable! He want to speak to Hades!” She leaned in close to Roman, as if she was about to tell him a secret. Roman froze, terrified that any quick movement would lead to his death. “Do you know the way to Hades, little demigod?”

 

“I - I was told to follow this road.” Roman said, pointing a shaky finger at the road he had been following. 

 

The Fury let out a hum deep in her throat. “I suppose that’s a good path, if you want to take the long way to see Hades. But I can show you a shortcut.”

 

Roman frowned. On the one hand, the idea of getting to Hades quicker had appeal. After all, it could mean seeing Patton sooner. But on the other hand, getting to Hades quicker meant putting his trust in a Fury. He took a moment, debating the possible outcomes in his head. Neither scenario seemed to be particularly desirable. Deflating slightly, Roman sighed and nodded. “Take me to Hades.”

 

The Fury gave Roman a triumphant grin before she took off into the air with enough force to cause Roman to stumble back. He craned his neck upwards, watching her as she circled above him once, twice, three times before flying off to where the ground dropped deeper into the underworld. Roman swallowed nervously before following the Fury, praying that his decision to trust her wouldn’t end up in disaster.

 

They travelled on like that for a while - Roman following the Fury as she led him deeper into the underworld. The longer they travelled, the more nervous Roman got. What if Hades didn’t want to see him? What if all of his efforts were for nothing? 

 

He was jerked out of his thoughts by the Fury dropping from the sky and landing right in front of him. “We’re here,” she said, her smile all teeth. She waved a hand to the door in front of her, inviting Roman to knock. 

 

He balked, rocking back and forth on his heels as he looked back and forth between the Fury and the door. Who knew what was waiting for him behind that door, waiting for the moment he stepped through it to attack him. But if he didn’t knock, that would mean staying here with the Fury, and that was not something Roman wanted to do either. 

 

Roman took a deep breath and approached the door, carefully skirting around the Fury. He could feel her eyes burning into his back as he knocked, the sound echoing out around him. There was a pause as the echo faded to silence, and then the door swung open with little fanfare. Roman frowned at the door. He was expecting something more - exciting. After all, this door was supposed to lead to Hades. Shouldn’t something else happen?

 

“Good luck, little demigod.” The Fury said almost gleefully behind him, before leaping up and taking to the air.

 

Roman focused on the open door and the darkness that lay within it. The path to Hades was through that door. This was his ticket to getting Patton back. If he could face down the Sirens and get through unharmed, if he could sail with the best of the Greek heroes on the Argo and hold his own, then speaking to Hades was nothing. 

 

He took a deep breath and walked through the doorway. 

______________________

 

One the other side of the passageway there was a throne room. 

 

The passage had lead to a large cave, the top of it stretching so far up above Roman’s head that he couldn’t even begin to see where it ended. Fire blazed around him, sending eerie glows flickering up the walls. The rock surrounding him was black, darker than anything he’s ever seen before. But what drew Roman’s attention were the two large thorns that sat right in the middle of the room. 

 

One, positioned on the right, was a pale grey. Green stalks curled up and around the arms and the back of the chair, looking rather out of place among the dark stone and red fire that surrounded it. The throne seemed to be emitting a light all of its own, and just looking at it filled Roman with memories of springs that had long ago past. 

 

The other, positioned on the left, looked much more sinister. Made from the same black rocks that lay littered on the floor, it was so polished that Roman could see himself in the reflection. It was sharp and jagged, a stark contrast from the soft and round curves of the other chair. Just looking at it made Roman’s hands shake, fear leaching into him and curling around his spine. 

 

And on the chairs sat the rulers of the Underworld themselves. Persephone, the goddess of spring, who looked rather bored with the scene in front of her. Hades, lord of the Underworld, god of the dead and riches, who was deep in conversation with a Fury - the same Fury that had just left Roman.

 

The three turn towards him as he steps out into the open air. The Fury finished whispering to Hades and retreated back towards another cave, where Roman could see two other creatures moving around in the darkness. 

 

Hades’ gaze narrowed in on Roman. His eyes were darker than any color that Roman has ever seen, almost as dark as the rocks that surrounded them. No light was reflected in Hades’ eyes, no sign of life at all.  The god’s eyes were narrowed, not looking at all pleased that a mortal had somehow wandered into his throne room. 

 

“Lord Hades, forgive my intrusion but I wish to seek council with you,” Roman said, hastily kneeling down and crossing his right arm over his chest. He wanted to get right to the point as to get out with Patton as fast as he could, but Roman also recognized the risk of not properly honoring the gods; facing Hades’ wrath was not something Roman could afford to deal with. 

 

“How did you get in here?” The god asked, raising an eyebrow at Roman. “I was under the impression that Cerberus kept unwanted guests out.”

 

Roman winced. “He’s fine! I just sort of, sang to him? Until he fell asleep?” He pulled his lyre off his back and waved it in the air before slinging it back into place.

 

“Impressive. Few could manage to find their way past him. A son of Apollo, I assume?”

 

“Yes, yes I am.”

 

Hades let out a sigh. “What brings you down here, son of Apollo?”

 

“I - well, I wanted to ask you a favor.” Roman said faintly. 

 

Hades raised an eyebrow. “A favor? What could you possibly want from me?”

 

Roman took a deep breath and glanced down at the ground before looking back up at the god. “My boyfriend, Patton, he - he was bitten by a snake and it killed him, but he shouldn’t have died. If I had been looking out for him -” Roman broke off and blinked hard. “He shouldn’t have died. I want to bring him back with me.”

 

There’s a moment of silence and then Hades lets out a short, hard laugh. “You do realize this is the Underworld, don’t you? If I let one soul go, I would have to let them all go and then were would we be?” 

 

Roman swallowed hard, and he can swear he feels his heart stop. Has he come this far just to be rejected? He closes his hand into a fist and stared up back at the god of death. “But -”

 

Like a switch had just been flipped, Hades demeanor changed drastically. He pulled himself up to his full height, towering over Roman and sending him into shadows. Hades’ jaw clenched and his hands balled up tightly. Roman instantly regretted speaking up.

 

“You come into my kingdom, and try to tell me what to do?” Hades growled, his voice dropping down a few octaves in his anger. “You are just as insolent as your father.”

 

“I’m - I’m so sorry, my lord, I didn’t mean it.” Roman stuttered, waving his hands around the air. 

 

“You may think you are above everything, son of Apollo, but if you think you can come into my domain without any consequences you are  _ sorely _ mistaken.” Hades’ anger is rolling off him, filling the air with a dangerous energy. The god takes a step forward and Roman realizes that he might be seeing Patton sooner than he anticipated. 

 

“Hades, wait.” 

 

Hades turned and looked over at his wife. Persephone had grabbed his arm, preventing him from continuing forward. She stood up and glanced over at Roman. 

 

“I think we should hear him out,” she said, her voice light and flowery. She smiled at Roman; it was warm and bright and Roman could feel some of the tension that had been building up in his shoulders melt away. 

 

Hades frowned, looked back and forth between his wife and Roman and then sighed. “Alright, dear.” He said, voice soft as he gazed at his wife. 

 

His gaze lifted back up to Roman. “Alright, son of Apollo.” He said, tone decidedly more clipped than when he had been talking to Persephone. “I’ll give you one last chance. Sing me a song, if you’re really as talented as you appear to be. One last song to determine your fate. Make me laugh, make me weep. And if it lives up to your supposed talent, I may even consider your request.” 

 

Hades fell back into his seat, and Persephone followed suit. All around them everything faded to silence; every living creature who was currently occupying space in the the throne room settled down to hear what Roman was about to sing. 

 

Swallowing nervously, Roman pulled his lyre off his back and plucked the strings, warming them up. He cast his eyes around the room as he tried to come up with lyrics and a melody. What could he possibly sing to Hades to  convince him to give Patton back to him?

 

The melody hit him suddenly, nearly causing him to stumble backwards. The melody would be the most important part; after that it was just a matter of improvising the words, and Roman was already getting a hazy idea of what he wanted to sing. He began strumming the lyre, and everything around him went quiet as he opened his mouth and sang. 

 

“Heavy and hard is the heart of the king - king of iron, king of steel. The heart of the king loves everything, like the hammer loves the nail.” 

 

Roman swayed in place, eyes closed and lost in the music. The music hung heavy in the air, settling over the throne room. His voice was smooth and bright, flitting over and drawing the listeners in as he sang to the gods.

 

“But even that hardest of hearts unhardened suddenly, when he saw her there - Persephone in her mother's garden; the sun on her shoulders, the wind in her hair. The smell of the flowers she held in her hand, and the pollen that fell from her fingertips.”

 

Roman’s voice warmed considerably as he sang about the goddess of spring, lifting up to the heavens. He began to move, dancing lightly to the music, spinning and swaying around the clearing. Up above him, Hades’ hand had found its way into his wife’s grasp, squeezing gently. Persephone squeezed back, gifting the god of death with a gentle smile. 

 

“And  _ suddenly _ Hades was only a man, with a taste of nectar upon his lips; singing la, la la la, la la la ….” 

 

Roman’s eyes were squeezed tight, and his voice cracked on the last line as he was overcome by emotions. His voice bounced and echoed off the walls, harmonizing with him as he sang the notes, one echo overlapping over another until it sounded like there was others joining into his song. The sound built until it wrapped around the whole throne room, vibrating within the chests of the audience. And then, one by one, the echoes faded until it was just Roman, holding one last note all by himself. 

 

When the last note faded into silence, Roman opened his eyes and cleared his throat. His eyes still stung from the unshed tears, and he quickly swiped his hand across his eyes to get rid of some of the moisture, waiting for a reaction from the gods. 

 

Persephone was the first to react. She applauded, bright and cheery and quick. Her clapping echoed around the room, effectively cutting through the silence.

 

Hades, much to Romans relief, joined in on his wife's applause. He clapped slowly, the sound deep and loud. It was rather different than Persephone's bright applause, but Roman appreciated all the same. The god's expression didn't seem to change much, but upon further inspection Roman could see the flicker of emotions in Hades’ eyes. 

 

Roman swept himself down into a bow. Some if the tension that had been building up in his shoulders dissipated, replaced by a sense of confidence that Roman had been sorely lacking in. He was sure that he was able to successfully change Hades’ mind, sure that he was able to make the god sympathetic enough to give Patton back.

 

Persephone leaned in close to Hades and the two held a quiet discussion. Words shot back and forth faster than Roman could comprehend. Instead he stood there, shaking hands clutching his life and awaiting their approval. 

 

After what felt like years, Hades leaned back and turned to Roman. “Well, demigod, we've reached a decision.” He said in a low voice. “For this time - and this time  _ only  _ \- I will allow you to take Patton back with you. On one condition.”

 

Roman's heart leapt into throat. “Yes, of course, I'll do anything.” He said, voice shaking. He was actually getting Patton back. 

 

There was a voice deep in the back of Roman's mind, warning him about agreeing so to the god's demand without even asking what he was supposed to do, but Roman didn't care. There was nothing he wouldn't do for Patton.

 

“As you leave the Underworld, Patton will be right behind you. You will not, however,” Hades warned, “be able to look back to see him. If you so much as send a quick glance over your shoulder to catch a glimpse of him before both of you are fully out of the Underworld, Patton will be confined to the Underworld forever.  

 

Roman swallowed tightly. Losing Patton to the Underworld meant losing Patton forever. Going to the Underworld was a one time deal; he doubted that Hades would allow him to return a second time. But all he had to do was not look back at Patton - how hard could that be?   
  


“Do agree to these terms?” Hades asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Yes.” 

 

“Well then, demigod.” Hades said with a smile. “Good luck.”

______________________

 

He was all alone. 

 

It’s the type of loneliness that pressed into Roman, surrounding him on all sides and crushing into him. The only sounds where his footsteps echoing off the walls that closed in on him and his labored breathing as he steadily made his way upwards. It’s the type of loneliness that made him want to curl up in a ball and wait for someone to come and find him. 

 

It’s cold, a stark contrast to the heat that radiated from the Underworld. He thinks he can still feel that heat on his back. He curled into himself, shoving his hands into his pockets and repressing a shiver. He wished he had a jacket. He wished this was over. He wished he had Patton back. 

 

Time seemed to lose all meaning as he trudged on. The path stretching in front of him never seemed to change. There’s no light to help him tell the time. All there is is darkness and quiet and nothing. 

 

Something inside of Roman told him to turn around. Told him to make sure that Patton is actually following him, to make sure that he isn’t being tricked. After all, there’s no evidence of any kind to suggest that there’s anyone behind him. No footsteps, no breath, nothing at all. It’s just Roman and his thoughts. 

 

But - 

 

But what if he did turn around, and Patton is standing right behind him? He’d lose him to the Underworld, lose his one chance to live his life with Patton and for what? His doubts? His fears? He can’t do that to Patton. 

 

He couldn’t live with himself it he did. 

 

So instead he continued on, nails digging into his palm as he kept his gaze fixed forward. Slowly but surely he began to see strands of light filtering through the dark. A small spark of hope ignited in his chest and he began to walk faster. He was so close, he just needed to hang on a little longer. 

 

It felt like hours have passed when he finally breaks out of the cave and into the sunlight. The sudden change from dark to light is jarring, and Roman lifted his arm up to block his eyes from the sun. Roman already felt much more comfortable being surrounded by trees and grass rather than the dirt and rocks of the Underworld. 

 

But he didn’t stop walking. 

 

Roman knew that he was most likely in clear; he’d done all that Hades had asked him to, and looking back to see Patton was probably an okay thing to do at this point. But what if it wasn’t? What if there was some loophole to Hades’ plan that Roman didn’t know about and looking back violated the agreement and then Patton would be ripped away from him and be lost forever?

 

Roman gritted his teeth and walked faster. 

 

His pace quickened and then he was running, nearly sprinting away from the entrance to the Underworld. 

 

He doesn’t stop until there’s a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back and slowing him down. Roman stumbled to a halt and turned around, looking to see who grabbed him. 

 

And standing right there, right behind him, is Patton. He looks a little worse for wear - his clothes are wrinkled and dirty, his glasses sit lopsided on his face and his eyes are red and puffy from crying. But he’s smiling up at Roman and the weight of his hand on Roman shoulder is warm and steady and real enough to convince Roman that it’s actually happening. 

 

He whirled around and pulled Patton into a hug, burying his face into Patton’s shoulders and bursting into tears. All the tension had leaked from his shoulders as Patton returned the hug, holding him tightly. He gently rocked them back and forth, running his fingers through Roman’s hair. 

 

Roman’s legs buckled from underneath him and the pair fell to the ground, limbs tangling together. Roman ended up half curled up in Patton’s lap, clutching him tightly, afraid to let him go. 

 

“It’s okay,” Patton’s whispering, voice soft and reassuring. “I’m here. It’s over. I’m here.”  

 

“I’m sorry,” Roman said, voice choked with tears. “I should have been there, you shouldn’t have gone through that.”  _ It should have been me _ goes unspoken, but when Patton leans back and cups Roman face, Roman knows that Patton could sense what Roman was thinking. 

 

“Listen to me, Roman.” Patton says sternly. “What happened was  _ not  _ your fault. You  _ saved _ me Ro, so don’t you dare go about blaming yourself.”

 

Roman let out a shaky breath, dragging the back of his hand across his face in an attempt to wipe away his tears. It didn’t do much; tears kept welling up in his eyes and spilling out. He grabbed Patton’s hand, intertwining their fingers together, squeezing tight enough that he could feel Patton’s heartbeat. It pulsed against his fingers, a reminder that Patton was alive and right there in front of him. 

 

“I love you.” Roman said, his voice wobbling and cracking, heavy with tears. He’s clutching Patton’s hand like a lifeline, like if he lets go for a single second Patton will slip away from him again. 

 

“I love you, too.” Patton said, voice soft and smile gentle. He squeezes back against Roman’s hand, a reminder that he was there, really there, and never going to leave again. 

 

The two sat like that for a while, tangled up within each other and soaking in the other’s presence. When Roman had finally calmed down enough, he told Patton of how he travelled through the Underworld to reach him, how he had appealed to the king of the Underworld to let Patton go. Patton smiled and praised Roman’s heroics, running his fingers through Roman’s hair with one hand while clinging to Roman’s other hand tightly. 

 

They don’t let go of each other for a while after that, not even when they slowly get to their feet and make their way back to their small house near the hill where Roman had first lost Patton. Their hands link them together, keeping them connected as they travel through the woods, serving as a reminder that nothing, not even death, could keep them apart. 

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! so i know i haven’t written any fanfic in a while, but i’m still alive!! i started writing this fic in june, and i'm so happy i finally finished this fic lol,, i'm p proud of it :)
> 
> this fic is heavily based off not only the myth of orpheus and eurydice but also the musical hadestown which is, frankly, one of my favorite musicals of all time,,, it’s an amazing musical and i would highly suggest it to all of you, especially the songs wait for me, chant ii and epic iii, all of which are songs that i based a good majority of the scenes off of (and even used some of the lyrics in many cases) 
> 
> also shout out to @impatentpending on tumblr (@patentpending on here) for helping me/giving me tips with the scene where roman was singing, thanks so much!! i really hope you like this fic!!
> 
> find me on tumblr @purplepatton ,, come say hi!!!


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